Translate

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

This post showcases "A Song For Unity & Peace". This song is a call to action and a plead to end kidnapping and other violence in Edo state, Nigeria. Although this video was produced long before Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of Nigerian girls in Nigeria's Bono state, the song's message also speaks to that terrible ongoing crisis.

The song is performed by a collaboration of Edo vocalists led by 24 Bits. This kind of collaboration reminds me of the 1985 USA for Africa's "We Are the World" superstar charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia. However, it seems to me that this 24Bits led recording and video is more powerful than "We Are The World" because the vocalists are singing about their homeland. The quality of the video is excellent and the dancers in traditional clothing add to this video's power.

The content of this post is provided for cultural, motivational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to 24 Bits and all the performers in this recording and video. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube. May the end to this terrible crisis in Nigeria come soon. Bring Back The Girls and all others who have been kidnapped!

****
INFORMATION ABOUT EDO STATE (NIGERIA)
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_State
"Edo State is an inland state in western Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State."

**
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oba_of_Benin
"The Oba of Benin, or Omo N'Oba, is the traditional ruler of the Edo people and head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Kingdom. The Benin homeland (not to be confused with the modern-day Republic of Benin, which was formerly known as Dahomey), has been and continues to be mostly populated by the Edo (also known as the Bini or Benin ethnic group).
The title of Oba was created by Oba Eweka I, the kingdom's first 'Oba'. The current capital is Benin City, which is in modern-day Nigeria."

****
FEATURED VIDEO - 24BITS Ft EDO STARS, NIGERIA BASE

Mr24Bits, Published on Oct 13, 2013

PEOPLE OF EDO STATES LET COME TOGETHER IN UNITY AND PEACE, TOGETHERNESS IS WHAT CAN MOVE OUR STATE FORWARD, LETS STOP KILLING, KIDNAPPING, BETRAYING AND VIOLENCE IN OUR STATE.
SONG FOR PEACE & UNITY.

****
LYRICS
Note: These lyrics were superimposed on the video screen. I've taken the liberty to correct minor spelling errors and add minor changes to the words that were given on the screen [given in italics]and have also added some words to the lyrics [given in brackets] so that the lyrics would conform better to standard American English. Additions and corrections are welcome.

SONG FOR PEACE & UNITY
(24 Bits featuring Edo Stars)Text on screen There should be peace in the land of Edo state

Singing begins
Please let Edo be good for everybody
Good for everybody
Please let Edo be good for everybody
Good for everybody
Please x2
Please let Edo be good for everybody

Let us join our hands together
and build Edo
It is only good we want
It will be good for us
It would be better for us
Bolivia* greets you all [*Vocalist's name]

Please let Edo be good for everybody
Please 3x Let Edo be good for everybody

Let’s come together to build our state x2
When we come together to build our state
There will be no space for the wicked
When we join hands together
no room for the evil one
Please brothers and sisters

Please let Edo be good for everybody
Please 3x Let Edo be good for everybody

Life is give and take
(Insurance)
Let us be our brothers’ keepers
So we can have good neighborliness
Money not be everything
[nor is] high status
Please let us make Edo a good and peaceful place for us all

Edo, the land of beauty
Edo State, you wish to be a citizen
Edo land, where the king is known universally
Please let Edo prosper
Let’s not betray each other
In other [words] don't scare investors from our state
Take your criminal craft of kidnapping into the forest
Get us big animals for consumption
Lets stop kidnapping ourselves
For peace to reign in our land
The land where the king lives
Please 2x

Please let Edo be good for everybody
Please 3x Let Edo be good for everybody
Please let us make Edo a good and peaceful place for us all [4x]
Please let Edo be good for everybody
Please 3x Let Edo be good for everybody

Citizens of Edo,
I beg of you
Let’s join hands together
So that our state will be great
Let’s unite together because unity is power
If we unite, our land will be a good place to live.
Our journalists, please lets balance our reporting
Do unto others as you would want done unto you
The Bible says Those who comprehend good and refuse to do the same,
are guilty
Let Edo prosper
Oh yeah!

Our people
Let there be peace
In our land
Peace brings development.
Together we stand, divided we fall
Let us come together and move our state forward
All Edos incorporated
When we join hands together
We move our state to greater heights
Please make Edo a good and peaceful place for us all [3x]

My people!Indigenous people of Edo
We are all one
[We have] No where to go
Let us join hands together and build our state
Edo, our great state
We can’t find a better place than Edo state

Please kidnappers, betrayers of decency
Please. We deserve better than this
Please know that Edo state is our own
Let it be so
When our state is good and peaceful
When Edo state is peaceful that is when
prophecy can come to pass
When the river is hot, even the fish
can’t survive it.
Crisis does not allow good people to inhabit the land
Please, let peace reign
It will be well with us.

Text on screen: Let us come together and support our government and our traditional rulers to build Edo state in unity and peace. Togetherness is what can move our state forward. Let’s stop kidnapping, betraying, and killing one another. There should be peace in Benin kingdom.
Great state, great people, great nation.
Peace be with you all.
Amen.

****
Here are three comments from that video's discussion thread:
joyce loveth, 2014
"Nice song please we nigerian should try and love hour neighbors as we all love hour self mostly benin people abeg make una dey try oooooo ......"

****
Esther Bailleul, 2014
"What a beautifully melody, my loyalty respect to you all! Is very easy to be united if we can consider our neighbour as our brothers and sisters and don't ignore other people problem. OBA GHA TO KPERE...ISE!!!"

****
Osa Julia, 2014
"owow, this is very touchful, infact it is great......"

No comments:

Post a Comment

Search This Blog

Blog Archive

About Me

I'm an African American mother, grandmother, & retired human services administrator. For more than forty years I have shared adapted West African stories with audiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
I have four blogspots: pancocojams, zumalayah, cocojams2, and .Civil Rights Songs. Much of the content of these blogs were previously found on my cocojams and jambalayah cultural websites. I curate all of these blogs on a voluntary basis.
Each of these blogs have the primary goal of raising awareness about cultural aspects of African American culture and of other Black cultures throughout the world, particularly in regards to music & dance traditions.
Viewer comments are welcome on my blogspots.